Internal-combustion engine



1. H. WEDIG.

INTERNAL COIVIBUSI'ION ENGINE. AFPLICATION FILED APR. 29, I9I8.

Patented July 4, 1922.

5 SHEETS-SHEET I.

I l k Q III l I L I I L Nm, NIW n I n. W -l HI I N IIM@ .QN l \m IN I .WMJ m mi I Mx ww; I I Mm., QN I l ..I w Imi. I Ih' M Y IHI I Q N xm..

I. H. WEDIG.

INTERNAL coNlBusTloN ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 29, 191B- Patented J uIyj 4, 1922.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2 III Fiy- Z.

,zof Per WWE, uit

-1. H. wEmG. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 29, ISIB- A 4 Patented July 4, 1922.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3 l. H. WEDIG.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 29, l9l8.

Patented July 4, 1922.

5 SHEETS-,SHEET 4.

- Lvzlgsz,

1. H. WEDIG. V f

rNTERNALcoMBusTloN ENGINE.

APPklCATION FILED A 9 Patenauly 4, 1922.

k [ETS-SHEET 5.

ic. A

JOHN H. WEDIG, 0F GRANITE CITY, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, 'T0 SUN MOTORS CORPORATION, OF GRANITE CITY, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF z ILLINOIS.

Application filed April 29, 1918.

useful improgements in internal combustion or explosive gas engines particularly of the rotary turbine class. L

The object of my invention is to provide a compact, Ysimple and effective gas turbine;

the peculiarities of construction of which will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings on which like reference characters indicate corresponding parts,

Fig. 1 represents a verticalcentral section and partial side view of a gas turbine exemplifying my improvements;

Fig. 2, an elevation of the fuel distributing end and compression cylinders;

Fig. 3 a partial sectional perspective view of my machine on an axial plane;

Fig. 4 an end view of some of the stationary guide blades and the rotary bucket blades of each set;

Fig. 5 a side view of a of turbine bucket blades;

Fig. 6 a cross section of Fig. 5 on a radial plane;

Figs. 7 and 8 similar views of the stationary guide blades; i

\Fig. 9 a face view of an operativecam and valve rod ends with rollers operated by said cam; j A

Fig. 10 a face view of a master gear, intermeshed pinjons and adjacent mechanism,

Fig. 11 an enlarged detail of an exhaust port and grooved joint;

Fig. 12 a detached detail of the fuel distributing chamber in partial section and radiating pipes and,

Fig. 13 an edge view andpartial section of the same with the carbureter indicated by dashed lines.

-My engine consists of two maindivisions, the first comprising a crank shaft Al operaportion of one set tively connected to a multiple number, preferably odd of radiating cylinders with their valves and fuel pipes connected to a carburetor; and second, a shaft B bearmg a l INTERNALFCOMBUSTION ENGINE.

Speciication o'f Letters Patent.

Patented July 4L, 1922. serial No. 231,352. I

'turbine wheel Within a suitablecasing that supports the stationary guides adjacent to the bucket blades of said turbine. The two shafts A and B are in line and form a butt joint at C, and are operatively connected so that the rotation of one shaft,-B in this case,-causes the rotation of the shaft A and the operation of the radiallyreciprocating cylinders connected to'said crank shaft.

In Fig. l the crank shaft A is mounted in bearings D and E at each side respectively of the crank arm F, the throw of which is half .the stroke of'cylinders G, seven of which (or other odd number as may be preferred), are radially arranged as shown in Fig. 2 about the axis of said shaft A. Piston rods H having a common connection to said crank shaft at one end, are pivoted at the other end of each into pistons I reciprocating in said cylinders G. The outerend of each cylinder r has an outer and an inner head, and partition walls J between said heads form a passage leading from the fuel inlet pipe connection K Fig. 2. to the center of the cylinder where'aninwardly opening valve L, having a normal closingtendency, admits the charge to the cylinder when the piston makes an inward stroke, and thus draws in the charge through the' respective ipe M radiating 4from a circular flattened rum N having radiating partitions O extending. towards the center between the curved front P and disc back Q. The latte;` has an orifice at the center, connected by a pipe R to a carburetor S. This drum, with the branch pipes M radiating to the respective cylinders, provides an equal share of the charge from the carburetor successively to each cylinder, and the partitions 0 leading directly to the central orifice in the back Q, insure a uniform quantty of the charge successively supplied to said cylinders by successive inward strokes of the respective pistons. Beside the equal division of the charge by said radiating partitions, I provide means for more thoroughly mixing the air and gasoline vapor from sald carburetor, and thereby improve the quality of the charge. Figure 13 shows the pipe R provided with a helicoid 60 located at the central orifice to said drum. The incomlng charge from the carburetor is given a whirling motion as it passes the spiral and enters outward and is again brokenfup by the edges ofthe partitions O. I have also shown in Fig. 12 another spiral blade or'helicoid (S1-at the entrance of the pipesM, in order tobreak up and intermingle still more thoroughly the portion of the respective charge drawn into said ipes M. iThus-a charge that is uniform or each cylinder, both as to quantity and quality, is secured, however the richness may be varied.

Any l.cylinder having thus drawn in its charge by an inward stroke of the piston, will com-press, its charge on an outward stroke. 'This compression takes place .outside of thecylinder .in the chambered head.

The valve L will vclose at the end of the inward stroke, and during the outward stroke the charge will be forced by the 4piston out of the cylinder through outwardly opening spring-closed valves T, into the space lbetween said inner. and .outer heads, which space is .of less capacity than each cylinder;

- whereby the charge is compressed as the cylinder forces itinto said chairmen-which isin direct proximity, withunly the valve L saparating. it from the cyhnder. A spark plug U of the usual or any approvedstyle, :ignites 'this compressed charge. at .the instant the valves \'I `l closeA at the end of. the outward stroke of .thell piston; This -ignition'. is effected by any -Well known mechanism and: is

not shownin detail herein.

This. compressed chargeis ignited inthe cumpresslonrignition chamber, ,and simultaneouslywith the, .ignition an exhaust valve W,S.eatedln..the :inner wall of the said vChamberland opening outward, is actuated y by a. rotarycamX Fig. 9, .havinga circular contour on the .periphery of. a disc; which periphery is a uniform. .distance from the centerexcept `at .-oneportion Y, where the periphery. is formed .on a greater radius, oorresponding` to the lift of said valve W. The

stem..2 from. said valve, extends 'inward .to-

wards said cam, and on the -end ofy the-stem -is.a\roller 3,Fig..9, engagingthe campegases .within said chamber `pass through a port 5,.drectly..adjacent.to :thefvalve W and leading t0'. guides 0, Figs. 1,3, and 4. These guides shown 1n end view .and diagramsans. lheyttnsisttf maar .blades formingr-limCrkets;inclinedabout,35o .to the'axis o'f saidshatsA .and.B,: andare supported by @shaped/.ring 7 secured ,to i their outer ends, while their inner ends are stayed by a ring', ais shown. Fig. 3 shows a plurality of guides of increasing depth, radially, but 'of substantially the same width, .and proportionately larger U-shapedrings 8, '9, and 10. These rings are doweled together as indicated, or otherwise fastened together to form a circular cage with guides l1, 12, and 13, Fig. 4, of regularly increasing length (Fig. 3). Each row of guides issubstantially half the width axially, of each U- shaped ring.v In the remaining half width in each section is mounted a row of reversely curved buckets 14, 1 5, .16 and. 17, Figs. 3 and 4, having their side edges directly adjacent to the side edges of the guides respectively on each side.

.These buckets 14, .15, 16, and 17, are of peculiar shape as shown in Fig. 4: The side edge fat the right of each row is practicallylin linewiththe guides on the right,

which incline downwardto the left when viewed from the end as in Fig. 4. The

buckets then make a sharp turn upwardv to the left, or practically 30?y with the axis 'of the shafts, for two-.thirds of their width, and then -are.inclinedyet more transversely to the axis, or about 80, so as to be practically in line with the -side edges of the next row of guides on the left. The object of this curve of said buckets, is-.to facilitate entrance of the exploding gases without shock,l into the space between adjacent buckets, by presenting the side edges only of said buckets to the streams .of exploding gas Adelivered from the guides, 6 for instance; then the reverse curve, liattened for two-thirds of the width as indicated in Fig. 4, receives 'the im ulsenearly normal Atofthe attened curve, ut with just suiicient inclination to directthe gases upward to the left into the stationary guides 11. Just before leaving the buckets 14, .the gas is directed sharply backwards, or said 80 to the axis, so as togive a :decided kick.- or reaction to this side edge of the moving' buckets before leaving the same. The stationary guidesv 11, 12, and A13 4are 'reversely curved to` the rotating buckets, and are practically in the shape of. crescent lunes. .The object of such shape is to reverse the streams of gas directed-backwardfrom the said buckets 14, so as to guide them upon, the .entering sides of the :nextsetof :buckets 15 in thesame way that.' theguides 6- delivered' thengas to the buckets 14.

Thesen-ies of buckets are: likewise of successively 1 increased radial `lengthas shown in Fig.' 3, and in each row their-outward edges .are fastenedto` airing 18, .and their inner ends :to=.a vring 19A of 'practically the same shape .asthe U-.shaped Vrings ofthe guides, but reversed; .and 'they .are pinned or. doweled tor .otherwise Y:fastened .together as indicated inw-Fig. 3, so that each ring-see- V-shaped tongues 23, vfitting similar grooves in the side wall adjacentA tothe -ports 5. The rim 21 is carried by a web plate 24 Fig. 1, and hub 25 keyed to shaftB, whereby rotation of said shaft is effected. The object of increasingthe radial length of the guides and buckets and thereby the area of the same, is to compensate for the reduced energy remaining in the exploding gas as it travels from the ports 5 to each succeeding row of guides and buckets alternately; that is to say, the larger areas of the buckets at theleft compensate for the reduced pressure per square inch of the exploding gas traveling across the rim of the rotary member to the outlet 26 of the casing. This ou*- let may be connected to any suitable muler or otherwise.

To facilitate the exitof the spent gas from the turbine and casing, I provide a fan consisting of blades 27 carried by a disc 28 from a hollow hub 29 rotatably mounted on the shaft B. In this hollow hub is a gear wheel 30 keyed to the shaft B, that meshes with a pinion 31 on ashaft 32 parallel to the shaft B andcarried by said hollow hub. This shaft 32 has a gear 33 keyed thereon that meshes with internal teeth 34 in the peripheral wall of said hub, whereby said blades 27 are caused to rotate in the opposite direction from the rotary member or turbine. The sides of the hollow hub are hushed for bearing on the shaft B at each side of the gear 30. The effective speed of the fan therefore is the combined angular velocity of the turbine and of the fan, similar in speed effect to two trains passing each other in opposite directions.

The shaft B is reduced at the bearingr35 at the left of the fan, and on the enlarged portion at the right of said bearing, a nut 36 is threaded to take up the end play of said fan adjacent, and preserve its proper adjustment with regard to the turbine member. A thrust bearing, preferably of the ball and cup ring style, is shown at 37 between the hollow hub of the fan 'and the hub of the turbine.

We will now take up the motive power of the reciprocating members. The shaft A receives its rotation through interconnecting gear mechanism which rotates the shaft A at a much lower speed relatively to that of the shaft B. In other words, the turbine and the shaft B on which it is'keyed, is designed to rotate at a high speed, and

\,the crank shaft A is driven from said shaft B by a train of gearings that reduces the angular velocity of the shaft A to a relatively small but definite number of revolutions. Keyed to the right hand end of the shaft B, is a pinion 38 that meshes with two ormore gears 39, keyed on shafts 40,

mounted lon bearings 41 and 12in two-discs` 50 and 51, at the left and right respectively of the joint between the shafts A and B. The discs 50 and 51 are fixed to the side wall by screws as shown, and a hushed hub 52 at the left of said pinion 38 forms a stationary supporting bearing for the right hand end of shaft B. The disc 51 has a similar supporting bearing for the left handend of crank shaft A by means of a hub 53. Said discs are connected by a peripheral flange 54 and depending flange 55, securely jointed .and screwedtogethenso as to form a stationary hollow casing or dr`um for the intermeshed pinion and gears 38 and 39. The gear shafts 40, however, project through the disc 51 to the right of said drum casing, and on the projecting ends are keyed pinions 56 which mesh with a toothed fiange '57 integrally as in Fig. 1, or otherwise connected, as in Fig. 10, to the aforementioned cam disc X which is keyed to the crank shaft A. This toothed cam X is thus rotated and likewise the crank shaft A on which it is keyed, and by such rotation-the reciprocating pistons draw in, and compressivcly eX- pel their respective charges into their respective ignition chambers, from which the cam-operated valves W release said exploding charges successively, to provide successive strearns of exploding gas through the valve ports 5 and the alternating series ,of guides and buckets opposite said ports.

l claim:

1. An internal combustion engine provided with bearings, a turbine shaft and a crank shaft mounted'in said bearings, a turbine wheel mounted on its shaft, a train of wheel work connecting said turbine shaft and crank shaft, a multiple number of cylinders radially disposed about said crank said casingJ a series of radially disposed cylinders, compression chambers, operative valves and means for ignition, and a central fuel-distributing drum having radiating pipe connections to said cylinders and radiating partitions intermediate of said pipes and a central inlet orifice, a pipe connecting said orifice with a carburetor and having a spiral4 helicoid adjacent to said orifice, all substantially asrdescribed and for the purpor-e set forth.

3. An internal combustion engine comprising a plurality of cylinders in combinatio'n with a centralfuel-distributing drum, supply pipes leading from said drum to the respertive cylinders, and radially disposed partition Walls in the drum between the inlet-ends of the several pipes.

4.- An internal combustion engine cornprising a plurality of cylinders in combination with a central fuel-distributing drum, supply pipes leadingfrom said drum to the several respective cylinders7| and a helicoidal spiral in each of said pipes to give a whirling motion to the fuel charge being drawn therethrough to the cylinders.

5. An internal combustion engine coInprising a plurality of cylinders in combination with a central fuel-distributing drum,

supply pi-pes leading from the drum to the several respective cylinders, and a helicoidal'spiral at the inlet of the drum for giving a whirling motion to the fuel-charge being drawn thereinto.

6. An internal combustion engine coniprising a plurality of cylinders` in combination with a central fuel-distributing d1-urn, supply pipes leading from the drum to the several respective cylinders, and helicoidal spirals mounted at the inlet and outlet openings ol said drum to giveatvhirling` motion to the fuel-charge being drawn into said cylinders successively.

In testimony whereof I' have aixed my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN H. VEDIG.

Witnesses:

H. M. PLAIsmD, J C. STEELE. 

